What happened to society?!?

I was channel surfing a few minutes ago and found something very disturbing. I happened to stop on the Jerry Springer show. Now mind you I only left it on for about 2 minutes. The show was titled I slept with my best friends' man. The guy they were arguing over was no looker. Heavily tattooed, severely overweight and just gross. The women were what I expect to be typical ladies they have on the show regularly.

I use the term ladies lightly. They didn't get into a physical fight over the man. Oh no! They had a 'Jerry Springer STRIP OFF'!!!

When did they start doing that on daytime TV?!? I had no idea that you could settle arguments by taking off your clothes in front of a live studio audience! Have I been arguing wrong all these years? To get my point across I need to take off my clothes?!?

I think I will stick to the traditional raising of the voice and walking away to argue. In fact after that spectacle I think the TV needs to get turned off and I need to open up a good book. I need to wash away those images from my brain!

Yuck!

Creative Juices flowing again.....

This past holiday weekend I decided to break out the beads and see what I could come up with.  I ordered some beads a couple of months ago, but haven't done much with them.

This first necklace is made from moonstone and Swarovski crystals with silver accent beads.
I love the Earthy tones in this.  It made me think of my sister in law who may be the recipient of this beauty.  
This little guy is mine, all mine.  I found the pendant and knew I had to make something with it.
I used black agate and Carnelian (the orangeish beads) and I really like it.  Now I want to get dressed up and head out for an evening so I can show it off.  I think I may make earrings to go with it.  We'll see.

A wii little accident

So, I am a spaz.  I can hurt myself doing the simplest of activities because I have a tendency to not pay attention to my surroundings.  I consider this a minor flaw, but a livable one.  Usually I just walk into the corner of the chest of drawers or end tables.  Or maybe the occasional getting my belt loop stuck on the door knob frame.  It is an every day event for me.

So last night the hubby and I were playing Super Swing Golf Season 2 and I went a little 'over the top' with one of my swings and I somehow kicked the glass door on our TV stand/console.  This is my ankle (It is a lot more bluish purple than the photo) this morning .  Luckily I didn't break the glass, but I woke up this morning in pain.  The bruise is right in the crease of my ankle so every time I take a step it stretches the skin and I can feel it.  

Will that stop me from playing again tonight?  I don't think so.   This time I will make sure to pay attention to my surroundings and not be a spaz.  Wish me luck with that one.

Artsy Fartsy Friday/Creative Juices

Most people who know me know that I am a creative person.  I love to work with my hands and create all kinds of things from jewelry to knit and crochet animals to you name it.  This week I made a barter with a friend of mine, two malas (seen below) for massages.  Not a bad deal if you ask me!  I just got these beads yesterday and had to create.

The blue is Lapis intermixed with 500 year old jade and other beads.  It turned out gorgeous.  I hope the intended recipient likes it.
This lovely is made from a type of Turquoise.  I am not sure what type, but it turned out great as well.  Now my hands need a rest after hand knotting between each bead.  

Let me know what you have created lately so I can check it out.  Speaking of checking things out, make sure to stop by Candid Carries place and see who is playing along!

Things I learned this year...

Friday was the last student day and Monday is our last teacher day. (unless you have textbook training on Tuesday and helping interview throughout the summer)

I learned several things this year from my seventh graders and thought I would share some of them. I hope you enjoy.

~I can never name my future children Nick, Tristan, Austin or Tina. There is no way these names wouldn't evoke the urge to scream

~Point sheets don't save everyone, but they do help some.

~Meetings EVERY MONDAY MORNING really suck, especially because they start 10 minutes before contract time.

~If you are good at your job you get the privilege of doing MORE work and get put on more committees.

~We are going to have so much fun with IDM/SF paperwork. I Don't Member So F**-it is what I like to call it.

~Sometimes it is good to get new staff into the building, especially when one of the ones leaving is a pathological liar.

~Being Special Education Department Head you get asked ALL of the questions that people can't answer AND are expected to come up with ALL of the solutions because that is your 'job'

~Sometimes it is more fun when you aren't in the 'cool kids club' You get to go out for Naughty Schoolgirl Martinis and have way more fun on the last day of school. Not to mention the martini comes with a blowpop. Delish!!!!

~It is really hard not to tell a student they are being a major bitch in class. Things like that could get you fired even if it is very true!

~Hearing my name over the intercom makes me cringe every time because I know it is never good and I will probably be subbing for the day

~I am going to miss a lot of my students, but some I pray transfer over the summer...

~7th graders have too many hormones

If you are a teacher, I wish you a fantastic summer full of relaxation and rejuvenation. You have earned it.

The Countdown has officially begun

12 days left.

12 days of putting up with students who have checked out for the school year.

12 days of terrible behavior.

12 days of (most likely) covering for teachers who are absent because I am almost always first on the list to cover classes.

12 days of my favorite advisory student who is off his meds. Summer is coming up and no more refills until August. Yippe!

12 more days of getting up at the crack of dawn just to hit my snooze alarm an extra 3 times because I don't want to get up and go to work.

12 days and summer will officially begin. A much needed break. I am starting to think it is a really good thing I didn't get the 8th grade reading position. I don't think I could put up with these 7th graders for another year. They have been pretty awful lately.

Now I look forward to the time off from work, online grad classes I can do in my jammies, family vacation in Galena, and catching up with some reading.

12 days to go...

A well deserved break!

I am so excited. I have a three week break from Grad Classes!

Here's the deal. This last class I took, Intro to elementary and middle school curriculum, (I know snooze) was worth 300 points. I missed 2 points on 2 different assignments and I scored a 291. For some reason I find this absolutely hillarious. The guy is retiring this sememster and didn't seem to give a shit (or grade ANY assignments since March) and it isn't worth telling him about his mistake because I still got the A I wanted. Quite frankly I am kinda pissed that I put that much effort into the class because I think he would have given me an A if I did everything half assed.

Big yeah, I move over a bracket on the pay scale because I have 15 graduate hours. Awesome!

Now I sit and wait for my transcripts to be read to find out how many classes I have to take to be a bonifide reading teacher. (at $1200 a class I hope it isn't too much!) Since I am special education I may only have one class to take. I should find out this week. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Things I learned I could do on NyQuil

I have been sick over the last few days and have spent a good chunk of that time hiberating and taking cold medicine. Over the last 2 nights I have been going the NyQuil route in hopes of sleeping enough to make it to work and actually be productive.

After taking said NyQuil I have come to some realizations about myself and my posible need to change my t.v. viewing habits.

See, I have been having weird dreams on the Quil. And by weird, I mean WEIRD dreams. For example:

~ I am pretty sure I could keep everyone in my school building safe if there were to be a zombie attack. That's right, a zombie attack.

~ I can travel through space and time via plasma.... while battling zombies.

~ I could turn my classroom into a cozy apartment (minus kitchen and bathroom) and live comfortably. The sad thing is, I could probably make that work. I have a comfy reading area, a t.v. with a DVD/VCR player, ample storage. I could make it work.

~ I can breathe underwater

~ I have mad fighting skills

~ I dream in the third person sometimes, 1st person in others. It is really weird when it happens in the same dream.

~ As Kratos I faught and killed Ares, for all you God of War 2 fans. Just last night I killed 'em.

Those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. I am feeling better, but I still my try half a dose tonight. I wonder what I will dream?!?

I can't believe he said that!

So, I was walking towards my classroom this afternoon and saw a former student in the hallway outside his reading classroom. I asked him why he was in the hall. His response:

"I don't like reading. Reading's for rich folks"

I literally got a twinge down my spine from not only his hatred for reading but the horrible grammar!

I really hope he was joking around. I doubt it though.

Journal Prompt

Today in one of the language arts classes I teach we had this journal prompt on the board "When I look deep into the mirror I see....."

I thought it might be fun to do the journal as well.  This is what I came up with.

When I look deep into the mirror I see many things.

I see a wife, a friend, a lover and companion

I see empathy and understanding

I see a teacher, a role model, a confidant

I see stress and depression

I see a knitter, a crafter, a jeweler

I see potential 

I see flaws and imperfections

I see olive green eyes hidden behind glasses

I see messy curly hair with hints of gray

I see a smart ass, a joker, a goofball

I see happiness, good karma, contentment

I see the woman I have become

I see the girl who uses the phrases "Wicked Painful" or "Weak" when something goes wrong

I see me

I'm o.k. with that

So, what do you see when you take a long look in the mirror?